Bengali karigars in Jaipur’s iconic sweetshops – GetBengal story
Bengal, in the extreme east, is a region globally celebrated for its soft, chenna-based delicacies like rosogolla, sandesh, cham cham, and rasamalai, while in the northwest sits Jaipur, the Pink City, renowned for its rich and ghee-based sweets such as ghewar, mawa kachori, and laddoos and churma, which are made of atta and besan (wheat or gram flour), ghee, and sugar.
Despite these differences, Bengali sweets received immense popularity in Jaipur from early days, Maharani Gayatri Devi might be the reason as she also hailed from Bengal.
Chhena, the cornerstone of Bengali sweets, was introduced by the Portuguese by curdling milk with acidic agents like lemon juice or vinegar. Before this, curdling cow’s milk was taboo in Bengal, and sweets were largely made from khoa (condensed milk solids).. chhena is mild, slightly tangy taste absorbed sugar syrups beautifully, resulting in delicacies that were refreshing and delicate, unlike the rich, heavy khoa- and ghee-based sweets of North and West India. This innovation not only diversified Bengal’s culinary traditions but also gave the world iconic desserts that have since won global recognition, with the famous Bengal Rosogolla even earning a GI.
At DMB’s
Despite these differences, Bengali sweets received immense popularity in Jaipur from early days, Maharani Gayatri Devi might be the reason as she also hailed from Bengal. But this is totally an assumption. However, the delicate process of preparing authentic chhena-based desserts requires specialized skills passed down through generations. For this reason, Jaipur’s leading sweetshops hire expert sweet-makers (karigars) from Bengal, ensuring that the rosogollas, sandesh, and rasamalai they sell are as authentic as those found in Kolkata.
Shops like DMB (Doodh Misthan Bhandar), Gangaur, Laxmi Sweets, Govindam, Bhagat Misthan Bhandar, and Sodhani Sweets have built reputations not only on traditional Rajasthani flavours but also on their wide selection of Bengali delicacies. By bringing in skilled Bengali workers, they bridge culinary traditions from two distant regions, offering Jaipurites the best of both worlds.
At Agarwal Caterers’
While speaking to two of Jaipur’s renowned sweetshops, GB discovered that the tradition of hiring Bengali sweet-makers has been in place since the very beginning of these businesses. At DMB, for instance, this legacy continues to thrive. Soumen Sadhu, one of the Bengali karigars working there, shared, “Today, more than 200 sweet-makers at DMB hail from Bengal. Nobody can make sweets quite like a Bengali, though many of us have also mastered the art of Rajasthani mithai. Cooking is in our blood and Bengalis are born chefs.” This influence extends beyond the sweet counter; at DMB’s restaurant, one can even find luchi and alur dom on the menu instead of traditional puri sabji. What makes the experience even more delightful for Bengalis in Jaipur is the seasonal touch. During the winter months, this sweetshop also serves gurer sandesh and gurer rosogolla, a delicacy that evokes the taste of Bengal’s winter season.
By bringing in skilled Bengali workers, they bridge culinary traditions from two distant regions, offering Jaipurites the best of both worlds.
Vipin Agarwal
A similar story unfolds at Agarwal Caterers, where owner Vipin Agarwal explained that they currently employ more than 50 Bengali karigars. On display was a dazzling variety of traditional Bengali mishti — from the ever-popular rosogolla, chomchom, and rasamalai to exquisite creations like rimjhim, chhena toast, malai shiromoni, annarkali, komola bhog, rajbhog, pantua, rasbhari, and many more.
Bengal’s sweets have travelled far from the banks of the Hooghly to find a loving home in the heart of Jaipur. What began centuries ago with the introduction of chhena now serves as a culinary bridge between East and West India.
